President George W. Bush will meet Mary Anne Selber and Jean Sayres when he arrives in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Tuesday, December 3, 2002. Selber and Sayres helped establish Providence House, a residential development center for homeless families with children.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years over their lifetime in service to their communities, our country and the world. President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country who are answering the call to service and will recognize Selber and Sayres as examples of the dedication to service he is hoping to instill in all Americans through his USA Freedom Corps initiative.

Selber and Sayres recognized a need in their community to provide residential shelters for families with children in need of help. In 1989, Selber and Sayres opened Providence House, a homeless shelter providing care and support for families in need. Providence House has become the largest transitional shelter for homeless families in the state of Louisiana, serving an average of 100 people each day.

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster an American culture of service, citizenship and responsibility. Through the USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the call to service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities to protect our homeland, support our communities and extend American compassion around the world. Interested volunteers can find information on the USA Freedom Corps at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-Corps.

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